unintelligible

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "unintelligible" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is difficult or impossible to understand, like a mumbled conversation or a message that is garbled. For example: The audio recording was so distorted, it was almost unintelligible.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You might initially assume it would be occupied by Danny Alexander, the sensationally overpromoted former press officer for the Cairngorms National Park, whose role appears to be to spout unintelligible cobblers with bewildering enthusiasm.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It is unintelligible, which is why 90% of taxpayers use an accountant or commercial software to file their returns.

The Economist

Their mother tongue, Mongolian, is unintelligible to most Hans.

The Economist

If they are caught accidentally breaking an unintelligible rule, that would embarrass their employer.The ACA tries to raise awareness of its members' plight.

The Economist

He accused the economists with "conspiring to spread mental fog," charging that they "were unintelligible; that they had in general proved wrong; and that in any case they all disagreed".

The Economist

This is partly because he spends much of the movie saying nothing, and what he does utter comes out in a voice rather like the unintelligible rumble Mr Hardy brought to Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises".

The Economist

Many grassroots activists criticised the concept bitterly for being unintelligible to voters on the campaign doorstep.

The Economist

In framing his pronouncements on exchange rates, his best bet would be to establish a reputation for profundity by saying nothing, or by making whatever he does say unintelligible (Alan Greenspan, passim).

The Economist

The 50,000 native Socotris, speaking four dialects of a singsong ancient language unintelligible to other Yemenis, subsist on fish, goats and not much else.

The Economist

The financial results of companies that global investors wish to buy into can be as unintelligible as the dialect spoken in the company town.

The Economist

On top of all this, Kurds are divided into at least two mutually unintelligible language groups.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unintelligible" to describe something that cannot be understood due to its complexity, lack of clarity, or incoherence. For instance, "The instructions were so poorly written, they were unintelligible."

Common error

Avoid using "unintelligible" when something is simply misunderstood or misinterpreted. "Unintelligible" implies a fundamental inability to understand, not just a temporary lapse in comprehension.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unintelligible" is as an adjective. Ludwig AI confirms it modifies nouns, describing something that cannot be understood. Examples show it modifying "cobblers", "rule", and "language", denoting the quality of being impossible to comprehend.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

39%

Formal & Business

19%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis reveals that "unintelligible" is a versatile adjective used to describe something impossible to understand. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used across varied contexts, especially in news, scientific, and formal writing. The most common mistake is using it for simple misunderstandings rather than fundamental incomprehensibility. Related terms include "incomprehensible" and "obscure", providing alternatives to express varying degrees of difficulty in understanding. Remember, "unintelligible" signifies a deeper level of incomprehension.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not understandable

A straightforward way of saying that something cannot be understood.

incomprehensible

Focuses on the inability to grasp the meaning due to complexity or obscurity.

unfathomable

Emphasizes the depth and difficulty in understanding something.

obscure

Highlights the lack of clarity or explicitness, making it difficult to understand.

impenetrable

Suggests that something is impossible to get through or understand.

beyond understanding

Directly states the inability to comprehend.

beyond comprehension

Implies that something is too complex or abstract to be understood.

lacking clarity

Points out the absence of clear and easily understood information.

impossible to decipher

Highlights the inability to decode or interpret something.

difficult to grasp

Emphasizes the challenge in understanding or comprehending.

FAQs

How can I use "unintelligible" in a sentence?

Use "unintelligible" to describe something that cannot be understood. For example, "The speaker's accent was so thick that his words were almost unintelligible."

What's a less formal way to say "unintelligible"?

Depending on the context, you could use terms like "unclear", "confusing", or "gibberish" to describe something that's hard to understand.

Is it better to use "incomprehensible" or "unintelligible"?

Both "incomprehensible" and "unintelligible" mean not able to be understood, but "incomprehensible" often implies a higher degree of complexity or abstractness than "unintelligible".

When is it appropriate to use "unintelligible"?

It's appropriate to use "unintelligible" when something is so poorly expressed, complex, or garbled that it's impossible to understand its meaning. For example, "The contract's legal jargon made it almost unintelligible to the average person."